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Dissociation

Dissociation is one of the most important safety considerations in TRE practice. It's a protective mechanism where the mind disconnects from overwhelming experiences, but when it happens during somatic work, it can interfere with integration and safety.

What Dissociation Feels Like​

Dissociation exists on a spectrum from mild to severe:

Mild Dissociation​

  • Feeling slightly spaced out or dreamy
  • Mild sense of unreality
  • Watching yourself from slight distance
  • Brief moments of "where am I?"

Moderate Dissociation​

  • Feeling far away from your body
  • Room or surroundings seeming unreal
  • Losing track of time significantly
  • Feeling like you're behind glass or in fog
  • Numbness or inability to feel

Severe Dissociation​

  • Complete disconnection from body
  • Not recognising surroundings
  • Lost time (not remembering parts of session)
  • Feeling like you're in a different place or time
  • Complete emotional numbness
  • Feeling like you don't exist

Why Dissociation Happens During TRE​

Dissociation occurs when:

  • The nervous system perceives overwhelm it can't handle
  • Material arises that feels too threatening to stay present with
  • You move outside your window of tolerance quickly
  • Past trauma involved dissociation as survival strategy
  • You have a tendency to dissociate generally

It's not a failure: it's a protective mechanism. But in TRE, we want to stay present enough to integrate what's releasing.

What to Do When You Notice Dissociation​

Immediately Stop Tremoring​

  • Use the brake pedal (bring knees together)
  • Sit up completely
  • Open your eyes wide

Orient to Present Reality​

  • Look around the room and name what you see: "Blue wall, brown chair, window with tree outside"
  • Touch something with texture and describe it: "Soft blanket, cool floor, rough carpet"
  • Say out loud: "I am [your name]. I am in [location]. Today is [date]. I am safe."

Engage Your Senses (5-4-3-2-1 Grounding)​

  • Name 5 things you can see
  • Name 4 things you can touch
  • Name 3 things you can hear
  • Name 2 things you can smell
  • Name 1 thing you can taste

Physical Grounding​

  • Press your feet firmly into the floor
  • Press your palms against the floor or a wall
  • Squeeze your hands into fists and release
  • Stand up and stamp your feet
  • Splash cold water on your face
  • Hold something cold (ice cube, cold can)

Avoid Going Deeper​

  • Do not continue the session
  • Do not try to "push through" dissociation
  • Do not close your eyes again until fully present

Preventing Dissociation in Future Sessions​

If you've dissociated during TRE, adjust your practice:

Shorter Sessions​

  • Reduce tremoring time to 5 minutes or less
  • Build up very gradually
  • End whilst still feeling present

Stay More Alert​

  • Keep eyes partially or fully open during tremoring
  • Practise in a well-lit room
  • Use less comfortable positions (slightly less relaxed)
  • Sit up rather than lying down

More Active Self-Regulation​

  • Use brake pedal more frequently
  • Stay more "on the surface" rather than going deep
  • Check in with yourself every minute: "Am I still present?"
  • Set a timer to prompt check-ins

Build Grounding Capacity​

  • Practise grounding techniques outside of TRE
  • Do grounding exercises before starting TRE
  • Have grounding objects nearby (textured stone, ice cube, strong scent)
  • Establish a "safe place" visualisation you can access

Consider Support​

  • Work with a TRE provider who understands dissociation
  • Combine with therapy focused on dissociation
  • Build more capacity for staying present before doing deeper TRE work

If You Dissociate Frequently​

Some people have a tendency to dissociate easily, often related to:

  • History of trauma (especially childhood trauma)
  • Dissociative disorders
  • Chronic overwhelm
  • Highly sensitive nervous system

TRE is still possible, but requires extra care:

  • Work with a certified provider initially
  • Build extensive grounding skills first
  • Keep sessions very short and gentle
  • Stay at the "shallow end" for a long time
  • Consider trauma therapy alongside TRE

Signs TRE may need to wait:

  • You dissociate within the first minute every time
  • You cannot stay present enough to use brake pedal
  • You lose significant time during sessions
  • Daily functioning is worsening
  • You feel more disconnected after practice

In these cases, other therapeutic approaches may need to come first to build capacity for staying present.

The Goal: Present-Centred Release​

The sweet spot in TRE is being relaxed enough to allow release but present enough to integrate it. You want to be:

  • Aware of what's happening in your body
  • Able to use self-regulation tools
  • Connected to your surroundings
  • Processing in real-time rather than disconnecting

Think of it as being in the experience rather than watching it from far away or leaving entirely.

If You Can't Remember Parts of Your Session

Lost time is a red flag. If you regularly can't remember portions of your TRE practice, you are dissociating significantly. Stop practising independently and work with a trauma-informed provider who can help you build capacity for staying present.

Grounding Tools Summary​

Keep these tools readily available:

ToolHow to Use
Cold sensationHold ice, splash cold water on face, cold pack on neck
Strong scentEssential oil, coffee, spices: something pungent
Textured objectRough stone, spiky ball, textured fabric
MovementStamp feet, clap hands, shake out limbs
OrientationName 5 things you see, describe the room aloud
PressurePress feet into floor, push palms against wall
SoundSay your name aloud, count backwards, hum

The more you practise grounding when you don't need it, the more accessible it becomes when you do.